Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 31

Day Number 31 - Love your parents

Look up
Colossians 3:20-21 in your bible.

Pray about Colossians 3:20-21 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Have you ever been mad at your parents because they made you do something you didn't want to do? Maybe you feel like your parents have mistreated you and at that moment you feel like you don't love them. Or maybe, it's much more than just one incident, have your parents gotten a divorce and you only live with one parent right now? When these things happen, it's hard to feel love for our parents. Scripture tells us, very plainly, that we should love our parents because it pleases the Lord.

Your Challenge: Today, simply stop what you are doing and go tell your parents that you love them. Give them a big hug and tell them you love them because the bible says that loving them pleases God.

In Christ,
- Steve

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 30

Day Number 30 - Love brings unity

Look up
John 17:11 in your bible.

Pray about John 17:11 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Have you ever been on team? Maybe in sports or in a team working on a project together at school? If the team works hard together and everyone is in it for the same goal, you have a better chance of success. You don't win every time, but you are okay with that because you tried your best and the team worked together. Family relationships are a lot like a team. If everyone is working hard, sometimes you have failures, but you are in for the long haul... forever actually, and you can have a great family life if all members have that attitude.

Your Challenge: Think of one area in your family life where you don't agree. Use today to pray about that area as many times as you possibly can, all day long. Ask the Lord during these prayers to tell you about anything you might be able to do to help bring more unity to your family.

In Christ,
- Steve

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 29

Day Number 29 - Love makes sacrifices

Look up
1 John 3:16 in your bible.

Pray about 1 John 3:16 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: On a baseball team, there is a term called a sacrifice bunt. A player gives himself up by bunting the ball in a position that will almost surely get him out, but the goal is to help advance the baserunner so that he is closer to scoring a run. The player is willing to sacrifice himself for an out, so that the team has a better chance to score a run. I'll bet this is a hard concept for you to understand. As a child, you are taught many times to win at all costs, winning is most important and don't ever give in. However, the bible teaches sacrifice in our lives and relationships.

Your Challenge: Ask your parents or brother or sister today what one of their needs is from you. Maybe they need you to help out around the house. Maybe your sister needs help with her homework. Maybe your brother needs help cleaning his room. Commit to help them and sacrifice yourself to help them achieve what they need.

In Christ,
- Steve

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 28

Day Number 28 - Love's motivation

Look up
Ephesians 6:7 and Colossians 3:20 in your bible.

Pray about Ephesians 6:7 and Colossians 3:20 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: What is your motivation for following your parent or teacher's instructions? I'll bet at some point, your parents have probably said, when you asked why you had to clean your room, "Because we are your parents and we told you to do it." That probably wasn't very motivating was it? Well, it's the same way with love. If we love our family and friends just because we are supposed to, it's hard to do, that's not good motivation. But what if we change our motivation? What if we love in the same way God loved us, by sending his son to die for us. What if we put all our effort into loving someone out of love for God instead of just because we are supposed to?

Your Challenge: Before you see your mom and dad, pray for them and for their needs. When you see them, simply tell them how much you love them and then do something to show it to them... in God's love, with all your effort. Then, go to God again in prayer, thanking him for the privilege of loving your parents unconditionally, the same way He loved us.

In Christ,
- Steve

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Love Dare'ing in New York City

Hi folks, here's a picture of Kelly and I during a recent spontaneous trip to New York City. It's sad to some degree that we had to get away to New York to spend some time together, but I wanted to do something special. As you are probably aware if you know us, or if you have kids of your own, schedules are so hectic that sometimes you wonder at the end of a day if you even said or done anything of consequence that was meant to build your marriage!

Kelly had actually said all during the Rays season how much she wanted to go to more ball games (Yes, I do have the most amazing wife in the world). So, I decided to surprise her with a quick trip to New York to see the Statue of Liberty and catch the 1st Yankees playoff game at the new stadium.

I want to challenge you husbands on something... although your wife may say that you don't need to do anything big for her, don't believe it. She is just such a nice and caring wife that she probably doesn't want to tell you what to do!!! Realistically, you cannot do big things all the time, but your wife deserves something big and unexpected every once in a while. It doesn't have to be an expensive trip to New York to sweep her off her feet again. In fact, I was pretty cheap on this trip because the flight was covered with frequent flyer points, the hotel was covered with points and the Yankee tickets were acquired through a special contact I had.

Just surprising your wife by scheduling a babysitter on your own and taking her out to a nice dinner and movie will do the trick. Think about it guys, what extra effort can you put forward to make your wife feel like the princess that she really is.

Until next time... In Christ,
- Steve

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 27

Day Number 27 - Love encourages

Look up
Psalm 25:20 in your bible.

Pray about Psalm 25:20 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Do you wonder why your brother or sister or friends at school just don't do the right thing? Do you ever say to yourself, "I can do better than them." That's not encouraging, that's discouraging. You cannot show true love if you have unrealistic expectations for someone that you discourage.

Your Challenge: Today, tell someone that you love how much you are sorry for the unrealistic expectations you have placed on them. Tell them you will encourage them instead of putting them down and discouraging them.

In Christ,
- Steve

One of the greatest home runs of all time

I remember watching this in October of 1988. I was a junior in high school. There is a lot of theatrics at the front of the video, but the good stuff starts at 7 minutes in.

Enjoy...

- Steve

Monday, October 12, 2009

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 26

Day Number 26 - Love is responsible

Look up
Romans 2:1 in your bible.

Pray about Romans 2:1 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Who is responsible for your actions? Not your mom or dad, not your sister or brother and not your teacher at school. You and only you are responsible for your actions. Today, our world makes it way too easy to blame someone or something for the things we do that are wrong. To truly love like the bible wants us to love, we need to take responsibility for our actions.

Your Challenge: Today, take time to pray about the things that you have done wrong recently. Ask for God's forgiveness and then go to your parents, family members or teacher and admit the things you have done wrong. Do it with sincerity in your heart. Ask them for forgiveness.

In Christ,
- Steve

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Love Dare For Elementary Students - Day Number 23

Day Number 23 - Love always protects

Look up
1 Corinthians 13:7 in your bible.

Pray about 1 Corinthians 13:7 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Do you have any bad habits? Bad habits suck away our love from the ones we are supposed to love. Maybe your bad habit is talking to your parents in a disrespectful way. Maybe your bad habit is that you don't do things the 1st time you are told. The bible says that Love always protects. We can protect the love we have for our family and friends by getting rid of bad habits. Bad habits make it harder to see when we need to love each other more. They blur our vision when it comes to love.

Your Challenge: Today, choose to remove a bad habit from your life. When you remove this bad habit, replace it with love for a family member or friend.

In Christ,
- Steve

Love Dare For Elementary Students - Day Number 22

Day Number 22 - Love is Faithful

Look up
John 13:35 in your bible.

Pray about John 13:35 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Have you ever had trouble saying that you "Love" your mom and dad or your brother, sister or a friend? Maybe they hurt you by being mean to you or hurt you in some way. The bible tells us in John 13:35 that people will know we are His disciples, Christians, if we love one another.

Your Challenge: Today, go to your family member or friend who you recently had a hard time loving and tell them that you love them no matter what, even when you are mad at each other, you will always love them.

In Christ,
- Steve

Monday, October 5, 2009

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 21

Day Number 21 - Love is satisfied in God

Look up
Isaiah 58:11 in your bible.

Pray about Isaiah 58:11 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Have you ever tried to do something on your own, without any help from your parents maybe, that just didn't work out? Maybe you were trying to do your homework and told your parents that you didn't need any help, but later wished you had asked them to help because it was too hard and you really needed them to help out? That's how it is with God. He is offering us help in every area of our lives, but too often, we try it first on our own, fail, and the go running to God for help. We will love the important people in our lives better, stronger and more faithfully, if we first seek God to be the center of our lives.

Your Challenge: Make a promise to God that you will start each and every day, on your knees, praying to him. Right when you wake up, get out of bed and get down on your knees and ask Him to be a part of everything you do that day!

In Christ,
- Steve

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Love Dare for Elementary Students - Day Number 19

Day Number 19 - Love is from God

Look up
1 John 4:7 in your bible.

Pray about 1 John 4:7 and ask God what he is saying to you through the scripture.

Read the following: Have you ever failed at anything? Maybe you got a bad grade on a test? Maybe had a bad baseball or soccer game? Have you ever thought about failing at love? You are probably asking me right now, what in the world are you talking about? Well, what I want to tell you is that cannot love someone like your parents or brother or sister with only your strength. You can love them even better if Christ is in your heart and he is helping you love. You probably think that you can love them a whole lot with your own strength, but if you let Christ live through you, the love you give will be even greater.

Your Challenge: Think back over the previous Love Dares that you have done. Were some harder than others? Maybe you were trying to do those with your own strength instead of praying first to ask God to help you love even more. Pray right now and ask Him to show you areas where you love even more with his strength there to help out.

In Christ,
- Steve